Board

Meena Carr

Meena Carr is a retired teacher from Trinidad. Meena is a resident of Washington Beech Housing in Roslindale, which is going through a HOPE VI redevelopment process. Meena has been Chairperson of the Friends and Families Uniting Neighbors Committee of Washington Beech Housing since July 2002. Recently, she received the Community Service Award from the Boston Police Department Crime Watch Unit. Meena especially enjoys working with children and youth in her community. She is a Girl Scout leader out of Washington Beech, coordinates holiday events, and brings food programs into Washington Beech. Meena also holds a certificate of ambassadorship from the American Heart Association and works to educate people about heart health and strokes.

Carol Leary

Carol Leary comes to the Institute with a long background in public service with the City of Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Boston nonprofit Urban Edge, Inc. and was most recently self-employed in the court reporting business. She has served on a number of boards of directors and executive committees. Carol was president of the Collins Apartments Tenant Organization in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston where she lives and is currently the LTO’s Secretary. Carol also served on the RAB from 2006 to 2012 and helped RAB to recruit new members. She spent many hours on the citywide RAB elections 2012, for which BHA selected the Institute as vendor.

Janice Lee

Janice Lee joined the Boston Resident Training Institute in 2012. She is a resident of Saint Botolph and a former President of its tenant organization. Janice graduated from the University of Massachusetts – Boston where she majored in Education. She also brings ample experience in real estate and business. Janice currently serves on the Resident Advisory Board as a co-chair for the Elderly/Persons with Disabilities constituency.

Jeanne Burke Patterson

Jeanne Burke Patterson has been a longtime community activist in Boston and before that in Rhode Island. She is an animal lover and co-chair of the Peabody-Englewood Task Force in Ashmont Square. She currently also serves on the Boston Resident Advisory Board.

Concetta Paul

Concetta Paul joined the Institute in 2012. She is a resident of West Broadway in South Boston. Concetta formally lived and served on the Old Colony Residents Association in previous years as an at-large board member. Concetta’s background is primarily in journalism and communications as well as fundraising.

Ethel “Peggy” Santos

Peggy Santos is a resident of Franklin Field Apartments and a board member of Franklin Field Task Force, Inc. Peggy enjoys her roles as mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Peggy is a longtime advocate for social and economic justice, and is a Member Emeritus of the Massachusetts Legal Services Client (MLAC) Council Steering Committee. Peggy is a Policy Board member of the Massachusetts Union of Public Housing Tenants and a lifetime member of American Legion Auxiliary Unit #16. Peggy recently received an award from MLAC for 25 years of Service in the legal services community, as well as the National Legal Aid and Defender’s Association prestigious Maryellen Hamilton Award for Outstanding Services in the Legal Services Community.

Sadie Savage

Sadie Savage is a resident of Saint Botolph in the South End and has served on her task force in various positions for over 26 years. Currently, Sadie is the Treasurer of the Saint Botololph Task Force. Sadie enjoys community services and has a passion for working on issues that affect people in her community. In addition to her work with BRTI, Sadie works with students from Northeastern University to coordinate community service projects at St. Botolph.

Ruth Villard

Ruth Villard was a resident at the Annapolis development in Dorchester for three years where she served as the secretary of her task force and also as co-chair of the Boston Resident Advisory Board (RAB). Ruth is very active member of her community and was recently recognized as a Local Hero by the Bank of America Neighborhood Excellence Initiative. In addition to coordinating the Yawkey Way Boys and Girls Club, Ruth is a reading coach with Generations, Inc. and the manager of the Archdiocese of Boston Black Catholic Choir. Ruth spent a recent Thanksgiving serving 176 meals to guests at the Long Island Shelter.